Guest Post by Alberto Belota, IxTJ

Downton Abbey

Dominant Introverted Sensing (Si): The Dowager Countess is uncomfortable with change and prefers to live by tradition. Her primary motivation in many episodes of Downton is the preservation of traditional, pre-WWI value systems, as well as social systems. She also has a difficult time seeing why other people may view things differently (and still be considered reasonable) when faced with change. Violet uses the past as a source of emotional security and validation, even when it’s perhaps not the most efficient or cost-effective way of life (such as opposing the installation of electricity in the Dower House).

Auxiliary Extroverted Thinking (Te): Violet Crawley makes decisions responding to objective, factual reality around her, such as quickly making a plan for a wedding between Mary Crawley and the heir of the estate, Matthew Crawley, as well as ensuring William’s not drafted by coming up with a believable lie to Doctor Clarkson, later on using her position to transfer William to Downton after he was injured in war, and lastly, coercing the local clergyman into performing a marriage ceremony for William and Daisy at the last minute.

Tertiary Introverted Feeling (Fi): Violet can often seem somewhat cold due to her auxiliary Te, but is, in fact, deeply capable of empathy, quickly connecting to the plight of Mr. Mason and his concern for his son being drafted, taking a personal liking to William. Violet has a strong internal moral code that’s not entirely appropriate according to social convention (“A woman can be as contrary as she chooses,” among others), and her moral perspectives are never fully altered by her family’s more progressive stances on issues such as female suffrage. However, Violet can often not reflect on how her actions will affect other individuals, leading to situations in which she appears rude, particularly to the staff, and her inability to realize how the rigging of a gardening competition would make Mr Molesley feel.

Inferior Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Although capable of doing so under certain circumstances (such as not refusing to eat a meal prepared by Ethel Parks, a former prostitute), Violet’s Ne is quite underdeveloped and she’s mostly resistant to new ideas.